Schoolboy bitten by snake in Victoria

March 19, 2007 – 2:14PM

A boy is in a stable condition in hospital after being bitten by a snake while on his way to school in Victoria’s north-west.

A Rural Ambulance Service spokesman said they were initially told the boy had been bitten by a snake on the oval at the Boort Secondary College, at Boort, north-west of Bendigo.

The spokesman later said updated information from paramedics at Boort indicated that the boy, 14, was actually bitten by a snake before he arrived at school on Monday.

“He lives on a property outside of Boort,” the spokesman said.

“He’s walked over to the bike shed to get his bike out and ridden down to the bus stop.

“He got on the bus and about 10 minutes after he’s felt pain in his lower leg.”

The boy discovered a puncture mark and when he got to the Boort Secondary College he asked his teachers to look at it.

Staff at the school called for an ambulance and the boy was taken to the local hospital where he was unable to tell doctors what type of snake had bitten him.

A decision was made by staff to transport the teenager by air ambulance to Bendigo hospital where he was in a stable condition.

“They’re testing now to try and find out what type of snake it is.”

 From The Age

Sounds of a new season

Tom Funke
For the Enquirer

The snow has melted and our forests, yards, fields and anywhere able to hold water are potential habitat for our amphibian friends.In particular — the vocal amphibians — frogs and toads, are ready to start their chanting in our local wetlands and ephemeral ponds.

SPRING PEEPER

If you get enough spring peepers together and singing, it may remind you of Christmas time.

Thousands of these nickel-sized frogs all singing together sound like “jingle-bells.”

Isolate one, and it is a singular “peep”, a very loud one for such a small creature.

Scientifically known as Hyla crucifer, an X-shaped cross on its back is partly responsible for its name. It is classified with the tree frogs, however, you’ll nary see one above ankle level.

Spring peepers are found statewide and are very common in nearly every open wetland type.

Put on the rubber boots and take a flashlight with you and walk the edge or even wade in (carefully, of course). Hold the flashlight next to your head, pointing the beam in the direction of sight.

Look for little eyeballs reflecting back at you. You’ll be amazed at how many peepers can fit in such a small area.

Get your glimpse early, because, once the female lays her 1,000-plus eggs, they hunker down, quit vocalizing, and are rarely seen for the rest of the year. They are also one of the few species that can survive the partial freezing of their body fluids.

A good characteristic to have if you live in a northern climate.